Structure of instrument panel portion for use in vehicles

ABSTRACT

A base member 13 is laid in a space portion, which is defined by an instrument panel, in a vehicle width direction over a generally entire width of the vehicle, and a plurality of ducts 15 to 20 are integrally formed with the base member 13. Furthermore, a meter placing portion 23 on which a meter is placed and an air bag placing portion 24 on which an air bag is placed are formed on the base member 13, and a harness placing portion 26 on which a flat harness is placed is also formed on the base member 13 in the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, the base member with which the plurality of ducts are integrally formed is a separate body from the instrument panel. Even in the case where the size of the instrument panel is changed, the base member is not required to correspond to the instrument panel and therefore, the ducts can be commonly used. Moreover, since the base member is formed with ducts each having a closed structure in section, it has a predetermined physical strength. Since this base member is laid in the vehicle width direction over a generally entire width of the vehicle, that portion of the vehicle body where the instrument panel is arranged is increased in physical strength owing to the provision of this base member for the sake of a possible side crush or collision of the vehicle.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/438,725,filed May 10, 1995, now abandoned, which is a divisional of applicationSer. No. 08/242,815, filed May 16, 1994, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a structure of an instrument panel portionwhich is to be set up on the front side of a front seat of a vehicle.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional structures of an instrument panel portion for use invehicles, of the type mentioned above, are disclosed, for example, inJapanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. Sho 48-64646 (U.S. Pat No.3,724,357) and Hei 1-190551 as illustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26,respectively.

In the structure of FIG. 25, crush pads 2 are provided on an uppersurface portion and an upper front surface portion of an instrumentpanel 1, and a duct 3 is integrally formed with this instrument panel 1.

Similarly, in the structure of FIG. 26, an instrument panel body 5comprises half-split panels, i.e., an upper instrument panel portion 6and a lower instrument panel portion 7. A groove 9 for guiding andreceiving a wire harness 8 is formed in the lower instrument panelportion 7.

The conventional structure of FIG. 25 has the following problems. Sincethe duct 3 is integral with the instrument panel 1, it is necessary tochange the configuration of the duct 3 whenever a model or type of thevehicle is changed, in accordance with a new instrument panel of thatvehicle because instrument panels are usually different in width, etc.for each model or type of vehicles. This means that the duct 3 must beredesigned (or newly designed) and manufactured for each model or typeof vehicles.

Similarly, the conventional structure of FIG. 26 has the followingproblems. Although the workability of wiring or arranging operation of awire harness 8 is good compared with one in which the wire harness isarranged on a vehicle body side, workability is bad with respect toducts because a plurality of split ducts must be connected. Besides,whenever the size of the instrument panel body 5 is changed, it isnecessary to change or redesign the configuration of the duct inaccordance with the change of the size of the instrument panel body 5,as in the above-mentioned prior art.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned two conventional examples, it isdifficult to say that workability is good because various electricequipments such as a meter, etc., must be individually arranged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of aninstrument panel portion which is capable of increasing the physicalstrength of a side body of a vehicle for the sake of a possible sidecrush or collision of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to enhance the working performance orworkability of arranging operation of various electric equipments suchas a meter.

A further object of the invention is to reduce an impact to apassenger(s), as well as a driver, of a vehicle at the time when avehicle collision occurs.

A still further object of the invention is to enhance a smooth flow ofair in a duct so that the air will be smoothly blown off throughblow-off ports.

A yet further object of the invention is to facilitate an easywiring/exchanging operation of a wire harness, etc.

An additional object of the invention is to enhance the workingperformance or workability of arranging operation of various electronicparts.

Therefore, according to one feature of the present invention, a basemember is arranged in a space portion, which is defined by an instrumentpanel, in a vehicle width direction over a generally entire width of thevehicle, and a plurality of ducts are integrally formed with the basemember.

According to another feature of the invention, a base member is disposedin a space portion, which is defined by an instrument panel, in avehicle width direction over a generally entire width of the vehicle,and a plurality of ducts, an electric equipment placing portion (onwhich various electric equipments are placed or installed), and aharness placing portion (on which a harness is placed or installed) areintegrally formed with the base member along the width direction of thevehicle.

According to another feature of the invention, a selected one of theducts of the base member is disposed through a rear part of the vehiclefrom the electric equipment placing portion.

According to another feature of the invention, the plurality of ductsincludes a center duct disposed at a central portion in the widthdirection of the vehicle and having a blow-off port for blowing off airbackwardly, a right-side ventilation duct continuously extending fromone side of the center duct and having a blow-off port at a distal endthereof, and a left-side ventilation duct continuously extending fromthe other side of the center duct and having a blow-off port at a distalend thereof, air drawn upwardly from a lower side of the center ductbeing blown off from the blow-off port of the center duct and theblow-off ports of the right- and left-side ventilation ducts, a V-shapedgroove being formed in an upper surface side of the center duct in sucha manner as to project downwardly and extend in a forward and backwarddirection of the vehicle, the air drawn into the center duct from belowbeing branched toward the right-side ventilation duct and the left-sideventilation duct by the V-shaped groove.

According to another feature of the present invention, the harnessplacing portion is formed on a vehicle rear side edge portion of thebase member.

According to another feature of the present invention, a connector isdisposed at a location in the vicinity of an end portion of the harnessplacing portion for the harness to be placed on the harness placingportion of the base member.

According to another feature of the present invention, a harnessprotector with the harness received therein is removably mounted on theharness placing portion of the base member.

According to another feature of the present invention, a rotatably coverfor covering the harness placed on the harness placing portion isintegrally formed with the harness placing portion of the base member.

According to another feature of the present invention, a mountingbracket portion to be mounted with electronic parts is disposed on anend portion of the harness placing portion of the base member in adirection of the width of the vehicle.

According to another feature of the present invention, the electricequipment placing portion is formed on opposite sides of the base memberwith a vehicle central portion therebetween, and a meter or an air bagdevice for an assistant driver's seat can be placed on the electricequipment placing portion on either side.

According to another feature of the present invention, the base memberis integrally formed by blowing and the duct blow-off ports are openedafter the base member is integrally formed by blowing.

According to another feature of the present invention, a plurality ofportions of the base member is separately formed by a low pressureinjection molding method and the base member is formed by completion ofthe solvent-welding of these portions.

According to another feature of the present invention, the base memberis mounted on a steering member which is disposed along the vehiclewidth direction and whose opposite end portions are attached to thevehicle body.

According to another feature of the present invention, a plurality ofgrilles is arranged on the instrument panel, and those grilles and theduct blow-off ports are connected through connecting pipes,respectively.

According to another feature of the present invention, the connectingpipes are flexible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view according to a first embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base member according to the aboveembodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a plurality of ducts of the basemember according to the above embodiment in an exploded state.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an upper case, a lowercase, a flat harness, etc. according to the above embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing an instrument panel, abase member, etc. according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a connector disposed at a basemember according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view corresponding to FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a plurality of ducts of the basemember according to the third embodiment of the present invention in anexploded state.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing a mounted state of an electronic partaccording to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing a mounted state of an electronic partaccording to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a view showing a common-use harness and a plurality ofexclusive-use harnesses according to the third embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing a harness placingportion and a protector according to the third embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing harnesses arranged in a protectoraccording to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a base member, etc. according to afourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing an arrangement of an air bag deviceaccording to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of an air bag device and asteering member according to the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken on E--E of FIG. 18.

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view corresponding to FIG. 11,according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a sectional view taken on line F--F of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a sectional view taken on line G--G of FIG. 22.

FIG. 25 is a sectional view according to one example of the prior art.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 25, according toanother example of the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 8 show a first embodiment of the present invention.

A construction will be described first. In the Figures, referencenumeral 11 denotes a steering member 11. The steering member 11 isprovided at opposite end portions thereof with brackets 11a,respectively and the brackets 11a are secured to dash side panels 95(see FIGS. 10 and 13) of a vehicle body by bolts 96, thereby thesteering member 11 is disposed in a vehicle width direction.

Then, a base member (assembly) 13 is attached to the steering member 11and an air conditioning unit 12 is supported on the steering member 11,these being all covered with an instrument panel 14. In other words, thebase member 13, etc. are disposed in a space portion which is defined bythe instrument panel 14.

Integrally formed with the base member 13 are a front defroster duct 15,a center duct 16, a right-side ventilation duct 17, a left-sideventilation duct 18, a right-side defroster duct 19, and a left-sidedefroster duct 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3, as well as elsewhere). FIG. 3shows these ducts 15 to 20 in an exploded state only for the sake ofeasy understanding. Actually, however, these ducts 15 to 20 areindividually partitioned by a single wall and integrally formed with thebase member 13.

A meter placing portion 23 and an air bag placing portion 24 as an"electric equipment placing portion", on which a meter 21 and an air bagdevice 22 as "electric equipments" are placed, are formed on the basemember 13. A harness placing portion 26, on which a flat harness 25 isplaced, is formed on a vehicle rear side edge portion over the entirevehicle width. The harness placing portion 26 is provided with openings27 which are formed in opposite end portions of the harness placingportion 26. Male connectors 25a, which are provided on opposite endportions of the flat harness 25, are passed through and extenddownwardly of the openings 27. A round wire harness may of course beplaced on the harness placing portion 26.

As shown in FIG. 8, a case upper portion 28 is integrally formed with alower surface side of the base member 13 at a location in the vicinityof each opening 27, and a case lower portion 29 is detachably attachedto the case upper portion 28. A plurality of circuit boards 30 isreceived in a space formed between the case upper portion 28 and thecase lower portion 29 attached to the case upper portion 28. Clawportions 29a are integrally formed with the case lower portion 29 in amanner so as to be projecting upwardly. Engagement portions 28a areformed in the case upper portion 28 so that the claw portions 29a willbe inserted and engaged in the engagement portions 28a, respectively.The case lower portion 29 is provided with female connectors 29b, intowhich the male connectors 25a of the flat harnesses 25 are fittedrespectively.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the base member 13 isconstructed by separately forming the ducts 15 to 20 side and theplacing portions 23 and 24 side by the low pressure injection moldingmethod, and thereafter, they are welded by hot plate heat welding (amethod for heating the face-to-face portions with a hot plate so as tobe welded), vibration welding, supersonic welding, or the like. The lowpressure injection molding method is disclosed in Japanese PatentPublication No. Hei 2-58089, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.Sho 59-49916, Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 63-66651, etc.

Since the thickness management can be performed with high accuracy inaccordance with the above low pressure injection molding method, a platecan be formed thin with high accuracy. Accordingly, the base member 13can be made light in weight and reduced in material cost.

As shown in FIG. 1, a front defroster grille 33, a center grille 34, aright-side ventilation grille 35, a left-side ventilation grille 36 aright-side defroster grille 37, and a left-side defroster grille 38 arearranged on the instrument panel 14. These grilles 33 to 38 areconnected to the blow-off ports 15a to 20a of the ducts 15 to 20,respectively, in the manner as will be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 4, the right-side ventilation grille 35 is connected tothe blow-off port 17a of the right-side ventilation duct 17 through aconnecting pipe 40, while the right-side defroster grille 37 isconnected to the right-side defroster duct 19a through a connecting pipe41. Since the connection relation between the left-side ventilationgrille 36 and the left-side defroster grille 38 is the same as theright-side, a description thereof is omitted.

The front defroster grille 33 is connected to the blow-off port 15a ofthe front defroster duct 15 as shown in FIG. 5, while the center grille34 is connected to the blow-off port 16a of the center duct 16 as shownin FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the meter 21 is fixed to a mount portion 23a whichis formed on the meter placing portion 23 of the base member 13 byscrews 44, and a lid 45 is disposed between the meter 21 and an openingportion of the instrument panel 14. The air bag device 22 and a mountportion 24a formed on the air bag placing portion 24 of the base member13 are commonly fastened to the steering member 11 by a bolt 46 as shownin FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 7, the air conditioning unit 12 is secured to the basemember 13 by a screw 47, to a body panel 48 by a bolt 49 and to thesteering member 11 by a bolt 50.

Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the instrument panel 14 is provided with aplurality of locating pins 14a projecting downwardly from an upper edgethereof. The locating pins 14a are inserted respectively into locatingholes 13a formed in the base member 13, and a lower portion of theinstrument panel 14 is attached to a lower portion of the base member 13by a screw 51.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 53 denotes a glove box, and 54, a centercluster.

The assembling of the instrument panel portion structure thusconstructed will now be described.

First, the air conditioning unit 12 and the base member 13 are mountedon the steering member 11 before the steering member 11 is mounted onthe vehicle body, the flat harness 25 is laid on the harness placingportion 26 of the base member 13, and the meter 21 and air bag device 22are mounted on the meter and air bag device placing portions 23 and 24of the base member 13, respectively.

Then, the brackets 11a on the opposite end portions of the steeringmember 11 assembly are attached to a front pillar inner of the vehiclebody, not shown, by screws. At that time, the air conditioning unit 12is also secured to the body panel 48 by the bolt 49.

Thereafter, the locating pins 14a of the instrument panel 14 areinserted into the locating holes 13a of the base member 13 so that theinstrument panel 14 is correctly positioned, and a lower side of theinstrument panel 14 is secured by the screw 51. Then, the grilles 33 to38 are connected respectively to the blow-off ports 15a to 20a of theducts 15 and 20. Also, the lid 45, the glove box 53, the cluster 54,etc. are arranged.

In such a construction as mentioned above, since the base member 13 isformed in the vehicle width direction over a generally entire width ofthe vehicle and the plurality of ducts 15 to 20 of a closed sectionalstructure are formed on the base member 13, physical strength of thebase member 13 is high. Therefore, owing to the arrangement of this basemember 13, the physical strength of that portion of the vehicle bodywhere the instrument panel 14 is arranged, is increased for the sake ofa possible side crush or collision of the vehicle.

Also, since the plurality of ducts 15 to 20 is integrally formed withthe base member 13, the wiring operation of the ducts 15 to 20 iscompleted simply by arranging the base member 13 and thus, workabilityis good.

Moreover, since the air bag device 22 and the meter 21 are secured tothe vehicle body side after they are preliminarily mounted on the basemember 13, workability is good in respect of assembling of the air bagdevice 22 and meter 21.

Furthermore, since the base member 13, etc. are mounted on the vehiclebody side after they are preliminarily mounted on the steering member11, the so-called module mounting is possible with the use of a robot.

Also, since the flat harness 25 is arranged on the harness placingportion 26 formed on a rear edge portion of the base member 13, thewiring route can be simplified compared with one which is arranged alongthe vehicle body, the wiring operation is easy and the flat harness 25itself can be made light in weight.

Moreover, by arranging the case upper portion 28 and case lower portion29 on the opposite end portions of the harness placing portion 26, theconnection of the connector connection of the flat harness 25 can bemade easily. At the same time, by integrally forming the case upperportion 28 with the base member 13, the number of parts can be reduced.Since the case lower portion 29 can be attached to the case upperportion 28 by one touch, the attaching and detaching work can be madeeasily.

The size of the instrument panel 14 is changed if the type or model of avehicle is different. However, since the base member 13 with which theplurality of ducts 15 to 20, etc. are integrally formed are formed as aseparate body from the instrument panel 14, the base member 13 is notrequired to change the sizes in such a way corresponding to the side ofthe instrument panel 14. Therefore, since the same base member 13 can becommonly used even if the type or model of the vehicle is different, thebase member 13 can be used commonly. In this case, by preliminarilypreparing several kinds of connecting pipes 40 and 41, grilles 33, etc.of different configurations in accordance with the type or model ofvehicles, the grilles 33 to 38 on the instrument panel 14 side caneasily be connected to the blow-off ports 15a to 20a of the ducts 15 to20 on the base member 13 side. In this embodiment, several kinds ofconnecting pipes 40 and 41 of different configurations are prepared onthe side of the right-side ventilation grille 35, left-side ventilationgrille 36, right-side defroster grille 37 and left-side defroster grille38, and several kinds of grilles 33 and 34 themselves are preliminarilyon the side of the center grille 34, so that the change of the type ormodel of vehicles is properly met.

If the connecting pipes 40 and 41 are formed in an accordion type sothat they may have flexible properties, a single kind of grilles, etc.can be commonly used. In this embodiment, although the connecting pipes40 and 41 are separate bodies, they way be integrally formed with thegrille 35, etc. If the connecting pipes 40 and 41 are designed such thatthey have flexible properties, they can be integrally formed with theduct side.

FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment is different in wiring or extending position of theducts compared with the first embodiment.

Specifically, the left-side ventilation duct 18 of the first embodimentis allowed to extend through a vehicle front side of the air bag deviceplacing portion 24. On the other hand, the left-side ventilation duct 52of this embodiment is allowed to extend through a vehicle rear side(i.e., this side when viewed from the side of a vehicle passenger) ofthe air bag device placing portion 24.

By allowing the left-side ventilation duct 52, this being of hollowinterior, to extend on this side of the air bag device 22 in a way asmentioned above, the vehicle passenger(s) hits the duct 52 at an earlystage of a vehicle collision so that the duct 52 is broken to absorb theimpact from the vehicle collision.

Since the remaining construction and operation are the same as the firstembodiment, a description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 10 to 17 show a third embodiment of the present invention.

Integrally formed with a base member 56 of this embodiment are a frontdefroster duct 57, a center duct 58, a right-side ventilation duct 59, aleft-side ventilation duct 60, a right-side defroster duct 61, and aleft-side defroster duct 62 (see FIGS. 10 and 12, as well as elsewhere).FIG. 2 shows these ducts 57 to 62 in an exploded state only for the sakeof easy understanding. Actually, however, adjacent ducts 57 to 62 arepartitioned by a single wall and integrally formed with the base member56.

A pair of blow-off ports 58a and 58a is formed in the center duct 58. AV-shaped groove is formed between the blow-off ports 58a and 58a in aforward and backward direction of the vehicle. A vehicle width V-shapedgroove 64 generally perpendicular to this forward and backward V-shapedgroove 63 is formed in a vehicle width direction (see FIGS. 10 and 12,as well as elsewhere).

A meter placing portion 66 and an air bag device placing portion 67serving as the "electric equipment placing portion" on which the meter21 and air bag device 22 serving as the "electric equipments" are formedon the base member 56. Also formed on this base member 56 is a harnessplacing portion 68 in a vehicle width direction over a generally entirewidth of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 11, mounting brackets 69 and 70 are integrally formedon opposite end portions of the harness placing portion 68, so thatelectronic parts 71 and 72 are mounted on the mounting brackets 69 and70, respectively. This electronic part 71 is designed such that anelectronic unit 71b is detachably disposed on a fuse block 71a, so thata projection 71c projecting from this fuse block 71a is engaged in amounting hole 69a of the mounting bracket portion 69 as shown in FIG.13. The electronic part 72 is mounted in a mounting hole 70a of themounting bracket portion 70 by screws, not shown, etc.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, a projector 75 with a harness 73 formed ofa round electric cord or wire received therein is placed on the harnessplacing portion 68.

As shown in FIG. 15, the harness 73 comprises a common-use harness 73awhich is commonly used in various types or models of vehicles, and aplurality of exclusive-use harnesses 73b, 73c and 73d which becomenecessary in accordance with the user's request, etc.

As the common-use harness 73a, there are harnesses relating to a metersystem, an air conditioning system, an engine system, a hard system,etc. On the other hand, as the exclusive-use harnesses, in FIG. 15,reference numeral 73b denotes a harness relating to an AT (automatictransmission system); 73c, a harness relating to an ASCD (auto speedcontrol device); and 73d, a harness relating to an ABS (anti-skid brakesystem), respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the protector 75 for receiving the harness73 is provided with a rotary body 75b which can be opened and closedthrough a hinge 75a having a small thickness. This rotary body 75b isprovided with a partition wall 75c formed on a basal portion sidethereof and also with a cover portion 75e formed on a distal end portionside thereof through a hinge 75d having a small thickness. When therotary body 75b is in a closed condition as indicated by a solid line ofFIG. 17, a common-use harness chamber side A for receiving thecommon-use harness 73a and an exclusive-use harness chamber side B forreceiving optionally selected exclusive-use harnesses 73b, 73c and 73dare defined by the partition wall 75c.

The protector 75 is provided with engagement portions 75f each having agenerally T-shaped configuration in section, which are formed on a lowersurface portion side of the protector 75 so as to be inserted andengaged in a plurality of cut portions 68a of the harness placingportion 68. The protector 75 is also provided with elasticallydeformable fitting portions 75g formed likewise on the lower surfaceportion side thereof and adapted to be fitted in openings 68b formed inthe harness placing portion 68 in order to provide an escape preventivefunction.

As shown in FIG. 15, a plurality of connectors 76 is provided on endportions of the harnesses 73, so that these connectors 76 are connectedto the electronic parts 71 and 72, the meter 21, etc.

Some of the connectors 76 provided on end portions of the harnesses 73of FIG. 15 comprise a split connector disclosed in Japanese Laid-OpenPatent Publication No. Hei 3-226978. A plurality of such splitconnectors 76 is connected to each other to constitute male connectors77a and 77b. This point is the same as the male connectors disclosed inthe above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 3-226978.

The male connector 77a is connected to the female connector 78a, and themale connector 77b is connected to the female connector 78b. Needless tosay, the female connectors 78a and 78b comprise a female connectordisclosed in the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei3-226978.

The female connector 78a is provided on one end of an engine roomharness 79, and the other end of the engine room harness 79 is connectedto a head lamp, a battery, not shown, etc. Similarly, the femaleconnector 78b is provided on one end of the body harness 97, and theother end of the body harness 97 is connected to a tail lamp, electronicparts in a rear parcel, not shown, etc. Therefore, by connecting theseconnectors 77 and 78, the predetermined harness 73 among the harnesses73a to 73b of FIG. 15 is connected to the engine room harness 79 and thebody harness 97.

As shown in FIG. 14, the female connectors 78a and 78b are arranged on adash side panel 95 by a mounting bracket 94. This arrangement positionas illustrated is situated at a location corresponding to the mountingbracket 69 of the base member 56 or a lower location of the base member56. Owing to this arrangement, the operation performance for connectionto the male connectors 77a and 77b become satisfactory because thefemale connectors 78a and 78b are located in the vicinity of the basemember 56 of the dash side panel 95, when compared with an arrangementin which the female connectors 78a and 78b are arranged on the vehiclebody side.

In FIG. 11, reference numeral 98 denotes an electronic part which is tobe installed in a console box, not shown.

The base member 56 is constructed, as in the first embodiment, byseparately forming the ducts 57 to 62 side and the placing portions 66and 68 side by the low pressure injection molding method, andthereafter, they are welded by hot plate heat welding (a method forheating the face-to-face portions with a hot plate so as to be welded),vibration welding, supersonic welding, or the like.

Next, operation of the third embodiment will be described.

By forming the vehicle width V-shaped groove 64 in the base member 56 ina way as described, air blown upwardly from a heater unit 77 can bebranched and guided, as shown in FIG. 12, to the blow-off ports 58a and58a side of the center duct 58 and the blow-off ports 59a and 60a sideof the side ventilation ducts 59 and 60, and the air can be blown offsmoothly from the respective blow-off ports 58a, 58a, 59a and 60a.

Also, by forming the forward and backward V-shaped groove 63, air can bebranched and guided, as shown in FIG. 12, to the right-side ventilationduct 59 side and the left-side ventilation duct 60 side with referenceto the groove 63, and the air can be blown off smoothly from theblow-off port 59a side and the blow-off port 60a side.

For siring the harness 73 of FIG. 15 on the harness placing portion 68of the base member 56, first, the common-use harness 73a is received inthe common-use harness side chamber A with the rotary body 75b held inthe state as indicated by two-dots chain lines of FIG. 17, and therotary body 75b is closed from that state as indicated by a solid lineof FIG. 17. After the exclusive-use harnesses 73b are selected inaccordance with the necessity for each vehicle and optionalexclusive-use harnesses 73b are received in the exclusive-use harnessside chamber B, the cover portion 75e is closed as indicated by a solidline of FIG. 17 to complete the wiring operation of the harness 73 tothe protector 75. Thereafter, this protector 75 is attached to theharness placing portion 68 through the engagement portion 75f and thefitting portion 75g.

That is, if the common-use harnesses 73a commonly necessary for varioustypes or models of vehicles are all preliminarily received in theprotector 75 and then exclusive-use harnesses 73b required are selectedso as to be received in the protector 75, a harness 73 corresponding toa certain vehicle can be set up immediately. Moreover, the harnesses 73aconstituting the harness 73 are not required to be connected andbundled, and the connecting and bundling operation of the harnesses,which is conventionally practiced in the wiring operation of theharnesses to the vehicle body, is no more required. Since the protector75 can be wired on the harness placing portion 68 by one touch, thewiring operation of the harnesses 73 is significantly enhanced.

Furthermore, by providing the mounting bracket portions 69 and 70 on theopposite end portions of the harness placing Portion 68 and attachingthe electronic parts 71 and 72 to the mounting brackets 69 and 70, theoperation performance for arrangement is satisfactory because theelectronic parts 71 and 72 are located this side, when compared with anarrangement in which the electronic parts 71 and 72 are arranged on thevehicle body side. Moreover, since the connectors 76 of the end portionsof the harness 73 arranged on the harness placing portion 68 areattached to the electronic part 72 and the male connector 77 is attachedto the female connector 78, the working performance for connection ismore effective.

Since the remaining operation and effects are the same as the firstembodiment, a description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 18 to 21 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The base member 80 of this embodiment is formed by low pressureinjection molding and welding as in the above embodiments. The basemember 80 has electric equipment placing portions 81 formed on oppositesides thereof. Openings 81a are formed in the electric part placingportions 81, respectively. Each of the electric equipment placingportions 81 is formed in a suitable configuration for either of the airbag device 22 for the assistant driver's seat and the meter 21 to bemounted thereon. The air bag device 22 for the assistant driver's seatis mounted on the steering member 11 through the opening 81a (see FIGS.19 and 20).

As shown in FIGS. 18 and 21, a pair of ribs 83 is formed on the harnessplacing portion 82 so that the harness 73 formed of a round electricwire is placed between the ribs 83. A cover 84 for opening and closingan upper part of the ribs 83 is also formed on the harness placingportion 82. This cover 84 has a generally U-shaped configuration insection and can be opened and closed by a hinge 84a having a smallthickness. In a closed position, engagement projections 85 formed on afront end of the cover 84 is in engagement with engagement holes 82a ofthe harness placing portion 82 as shown in FIG. 21. The cover 84 isshaped in a location as indicated by two-dots chain lines of FIG. 21 inorder to facilitate molding thereof.

Since either the air bag device 22 for the assistant driver's seat orthe meter 21 can be placed on the electric equipment placing portion 81,the base member 80 can be applied to any of a right-handle vehicle and aleft-handle vehicle and therefore, the number of parts can be reduced.

Since the remaining construction and operation are the same as the firstembodiment, a description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 22 to 24 show a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the base member 90 is integrally formed by blowing.The configuration is generally the same as the third embodiment of FIGS.10 to 17, except that the mounting brackets 69 and 70 are not formed onthe opposite end portions of the harness placing portion 68.

In this base member 90, the ducts 57 to 62 are cut along a cutting lineP indicated by broken lines of FIG. 22 during a trimming process afterblowing and, thereby, the blow-off ports 58a, 59a, 60a, 61a and 62a areformed. By changing the location of this cutting line P, any change ofthe location of the respective grilles on the instrument panel can becoped with. Similarly, during the trimming process, openings 91, 92 and93 of FIGS. 23 and 24 are formed.

As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, thebase member with which the ducts are integrally formed is a separatebody from the instrument panel. Since the base member is not required tobe changed copping with any change of the instrument panel, the ductscan be commonly used. Moreover, since the ducts each having a closedstructure in section are formed on the base member, the base member hasa predetermined strength. Since this base member is laid in the vehiclewidth direction over the generally entire width of the vehicle, theinstrument panel arrangement portion is increased in strength by thisbase member for the sake of a possible side crush or collision of thevehicle.

Since the electric equipment placing portion and the harness placingportion are integrally formed, if the electric equipments and harnessesare mounted on these placing portions and thereafter the base member ismounted on the vehicle body, these electric equipments, etc. can bearranged at a time (or by one action). Accordingly, workability isincreased compared with the conventional case where electric equipmentsare arranged in a narrow vehicle body.

Owing to the arrangement of the selected duct extending from theelectric equipment placing portion through the back of the vehicle, thevehicle passenger hits the hollow duct before he hits the electricequipments. Accordingly, the impact from the vehicle collision can beabsorbed by deformation of the duct.

By forming the V-shaped groove in the center duct on the upper surfaceportion side, air drawn from below the center duct is branched to theright-side ventilation duct side and the left-side ventilation ductside. Since the air is reduced in flow resistance, it can be blown offsmoothly from the blow-off ports.

By forming the harness placing portion on the vehicle rear side edgeportion of the base member, the operation for replacing the harness,etc. can be made easily.

By providing the connectors at location in the vicinity of the endportion of the harness placing portion of the harness which is placed onthe harness placing portion of the base member, the operation forconnecting these connectors to those connectors on the vehicle body sidecan be performed this side. Accordingly, the workability of connectingoperation is good.

By detachably attaching the harness protector with the harnessesreceived therein to the harness placing portion of the base member,workability of wiring operation and, particularly, of a harness of around electric wire is good.

By integrally forming a rotatable cover for covering the harnesses,which are placed on the harness placing portion, with the harnessplacing portion, it is not necessary to manufacture the harnessprotector separately. Moreover, molding is simple and workability ofwiring operation of the harnesses is good.

By providing the mounting brackets on the end portions of the harnessplacing portion and mounting the electronic parts on the mountingbrackets, workability of an arranging operation is good because theelectronic parts are located this side compared with the conventionalstructure where the electronic parts are separately arranged on thevehicle body side. Moreover, if the connectors on the end portions ofthe harnesses placed on the harness placing portion are mounted on theelectronic parts, workability of a connecting operation becomesexcellent.

By forming the electric equipment placing portions of the base member onthe opposite sides of the vehicle central portion so that the meter canbe placed on one of the electric equipment placing portion and the airbag device for the assistant driver's seat can be placed on the otherelectric equipment placing portion, the base member can suitably be usedfor both the right handle vehicle and the left handle vehicle.

By separately forming the plurality of portions in accordance with thelow pressure injection molding method and forming the base member bywelding those portions, a thickness management can be performed withhigh accuracy.

Particularly, if the thickness management of the duct portion can bemade properly, a light-weight can be obtained by reducing the thickness.

By mounting the base member on the steering member which is laid in thevehicle width direction and whose opposite end portions are mounted onthe vehicle body, if the steering member is mounted on the vehicle bodyafter the base member is preliminarily mounted on the steering member,the so-called module mounting can be made and, therefore, theworkability of assembling operation is more improved.

If the plurality of grilles is arranged on the instrument panel and thegrilles are connected to the blow-off ports of the plurality of ducts,the base member with which the ducts are integrally formed is a separatebody from the instrument panel. Accordingly, even in the case where thesize of this instrument panel is changed, the blow-off ports of theducts and the grilles can easily be connected to each other with the useof suitable connecting pipes having different configurations.Accordingly, since the base member is not required to correspond to theinstrument panel, the ducts can be used commonly.

If the connecting pipe is formed in a way as having a flexible property,it is enough to prepare only one kind of connecting pipe. This ispractically very useful.

What is claimed is:
 1. A structure for use in vehicles comprising:a basemember extending in a vehicle width direction over substantially anentire width of a vehicle, said base member including:(1) a plurality ofducts integrally formed therewith and disposed in a front of thevehicle; (2) an electric equipment placing portion integrally formedtherewith and disposed behind said plurality of ducts in the vehicle formounting electric equipment; and (3) a harness placing portionintegrally formed therewith and disposed behind said electric equipmentplacing portion in the vehicle for arranging harnesses substantiallylinearly and over substantially an entire width of the vehicle in thevehicle width direction; an instrument panel detachably mounted on saidbase member and covering said base member; a plurality of grillesarranged on said instrument panel; and connecting pipes for connectingsaid plurality of grilles and blow-off ports of said plurality of ductsto each other, said connecting pipes being flexible and integrallyformed with said plurality of grilles; wherein at least one of saidducts which guides a portion of air supplied from a blower of an airconditioning unit extends along a vehicle rear side of said electricequipment placing portion and around the electric equipment.
 2. Astructure for use in vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the at leastone of said ducts is a side ventilation duct connected to a sideventilation grille mounted on the instrument panel, and at least a partof said side ventilation duct extends in the vehicle width directionalong the vehicle rear side of said electric equipment placing portion.